TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE TRANSLATION OF CATCH-22 BY JOSEPH HELLER

ТРАНСФОРМАЦИИ В ПЕРЕВОДЕ РОМАНА УЛОВКА-22 ДЖОЗЕФА ХЕЛЛЕРА

Шевцова Ангелина Сергеевна

студент, кафедрa теории и практики перевода, Карагандинский университет имени академика Е. А. Букетова,

Казахстан, Караганда

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes lexical transformations in the Russian translation of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, focusing on three primary types: specification, generalization, and antonymic translation. These strategies allow the translator to bridge linguistic and cultural differences while preserving the novel’s tone, style, and meaning. Through detailed examples, the paper illustrates how specific terms were used to clarify context, how generalization ensured natural expression, and how antonymic translation conveyed subtle emotional and ironic nuances. The findings highlight the translator’s role in adapting the text for the target audience without distorting the author’s intent.

АННОТАЦИЯ

В статье рассматриваются лексические трансформации в русском переводе романа Джозефа Хеллера Уловка-22, с акцентом на три основных типа: конкретизация, обобщение и антонимический перевод. Эти стратегии позволяют переводчику преодолевать языковые и культурные различия, сохраняя при этом стиль, тон и смысл оригинала. На основе конкретных примеров показано, как конкретизация помогает уточнять контекст, обобщение делает речь более естественной, а антонимический перевод передаёт тонкие эмоциональные и иронические оттенки. Результаты подчеркивают важность выбора переводческих решений для адаптации текста к целевой аудитории без искажения авторского замысла.

Keywords: Catch-22, translation strategies, lexical transformation, specification, generalization, antonymic translation, Joseph Heller, Russian translation, literary translation, equivalence.

Ключевые слова: Уловка-22, переводческие стратегии, лексическая трансформация, конкретизация, обобщение, антонимический перевод, Джозеф Хеллер, русский перевод, художественный перевод, эквивалентность.

Introduction

Literary translation often involves lexical transformations (shifts), where the translator replaces a word in the source language with a more general or more specific word in the target language [1]. In translation theory, these shifts help bridge the differences between languages while preserving the author’s intent and style [2]. This analysis of the Russian translation of Heller’s Catch-22 focuses on three types of transformations: specification, generalization, and antonymic translation [3].

Specification

Specification is the replacement of a broad or general concept in the source text with a more specific one in the target text [3, c. 65]. The translator adds details that are implied but not explicitly stated in the original. For example:

The English word “hospital” is translated as “госпиталь” (military hospital). The Russian term more clearly indicates a military setting, which aligns with the novel’s context.

The word “chart” becomes “температурный лист” (temperature chart), specifying the exact hospital record being referred to.

These are examples of specification: a narrower term is used in the translation where the original uses a broader one. This is in line with Russian linguistic norms, which often require precise terminology in official or technical contexts. Specification helps avoid ambiguity and highlights specific details, such as the military environment of the novel.

Generalization

Generalization is the opposite technique: replacing a specific term with a more general one. It is used when a specific detail is unnecessary or would sound unnatural in the target language [3, c. 65]. For example:

“Chilled chocolate milk” is translated as “охлаждённый фруктовый сок или шоколадный напиток” (chilled fruit juice or chocolate drink). The phrase “chocolate drink” is more general than “chocolate milk” and sounds more natural to Russian readers.

This generalization preserves the meaning without awkwardness. In Russian, “chocolate drink” is more idiomatic than the direct equivalent of “chocolate milk”. Generalization is helpful when the target language lacks a precise equivalent or when the detail is not crucial.

Antonymic Translation

Antonymic translation involves using a negation or an antonym to convey the original meaning [3, c. 65]. A positive statement in English may be translated into a negative one in Russian, or vice versa. For example:

“None of the nurses liked Yossarian” is translated as “Медсестры недолюбливали Йоссариана” (The nurses disliked Yossarian). The English “liked” becomes the Russian “недолюбливали” (literally: didn’t quite like).

Similarly, “who didn’t like Yossarian” is translated with a negative construction.

This kind of transformation often sounds more natural in Russian, especially in ironic or negative contexts. The use of “недолюбливать” conveys a subtle tone and keeps the ironic flavor of the original without being blunt. Russian often lacks a single-word equivalent for “liked”, making negation a fitting alternative.

Conclusion

The analysis shows that all three types of transformations—specification, generalization, and antonymic translation—are present in the Russian version of Catch-22, though used with varying frequency. Specification is most common in scenes with a clear context (military, medical), helping clarify meaning (e.g., hospital → госпиталь, chart → температурный лист). Generalization is less frequent but used to improve fluency and readability (e.g., milk → напиток). Antonymic translation appears in ironic or evaluative passages, helping maintain the tone and naturalness of expression.

Overall, the translator adapts the text to Russian readers’ expectations by favoring precision in technical contexts and using negation where it better conveys sentiment. These transformations preserve the novel’s meaning and tone: choosing “госпиталь” instead of “больница” emphasizes the military setting, and generalizing “chocolate milk” as a “drink” avoids awkwardness. Understanding specification, generalization, and antonymic translation enhances a translator’s skill in achieving equivalence between languages.

Key takeaways:

Specification: replacing general terms with specific ones (e.g., hospital → госпиталь, chart → температурный лист).

Generalization: replacing specific terms with general ones (e.g., chocolate milk → chocolate drink).

Antonymic translation: using a negated or opposite form (e.g., liked → disliked).

Based on my research, I concluded that in this text there is much more concretization than other transformations.

References:

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2. Troiano E., Velutharambath A., Klinger R. From theories on styles to their transfer in text: Bridging the gap with a hierarchical survey // Natural Language Engineering. – 2023. – Т. 29. – №. 4. – С. 849–908.
3. Удовіченко Г. М., Демченко В. Л. Translation transformations in the process of fiction texts translation // Інтелект. Особистість. Цивілізація. – 2023. – №. 1 (26).